Truth's seams
by TalkingSalad12
Summary: Pink Diamond's lies finally come crashing down... onto her son
1. Chapter 1

Sapphire stood in the cloud arena. She didn't know where else to go after learning the truth about Rose's identity. She was Pink Diamond. So many things went through Sapphire's mind. The first being; Rose lied to them. She said that Pink Diamond was evil. A tyrant who deserved her fate. When she was that tyrant all along. Her face, name, identity, it was all a lie! What else was a lie? The rebellion? The value of organic life? Being Garnet?

What were they doing for thousands of years?

"Sapphire?"

Then gem was pulled from her thoughts and looked up. There stood Steven.

"Steven?"

The half gem quickly pulled her into a hug, "I found you." When Steven pulled back Sapphire saw that he was closed to tears. Sapphire sighed. How could she forget? Steven would have been worried.

"I'm sorry Steven, I shouldn't have gotten angry like that?" Sapphire apologized.

"You don't have to apologize for that Sapphire," Steven said, "I'm upset about it too. But why did you leave?"

"Rose… Your mother… she lied to us. I'm not even sure if she cared about us at this point. I just don't even know what we've been doing these thousands of years."

Steven was silent for a minute. Then he began to ask questions.

"Do you hate me now?"

Sapphire looked at him in horror, "Of course not. I'm angry at your mother, but you're not her. I know that now. I could never hate you, Steven."

"Well… do you hate Earth now?"

Sapphire was silent. She looked over the edge of the cloud arena and down towards the planet she had called home. "No. I could never hate Earth."

"Sapphire, I know my mom lied, she might have even lied about caring about the Earth and life on it, but even if she did lie, you didn't. You came to really love this planet. And the people on it. That wasn't my mom, that was you. And the first time you fused with Ruby, that wasn't my mom, that was you and Ruby," Steven looked down for a minute before continuing, "I love being a crystal gem. I love going on adventures with you guys. But most of all, I love having all of you with me. Pearl, Amethyst, you and Ruby, whether you're Garnet or not. Maybe the Crystal Gems did start out as a lie. But it doesn't have to be that now."

Sapphire looked at Steven. She was so angry at Rose, she didn't stop to think about Steven. He was told his whole life about what everyone thought of his mother. Now he was the one who found the truth on his own. He must had been so confused. He must had felt so betrayed. Even more than she did. Plus, she knew he was right. She did love Earth, with or without Rose Quartz, or Pink Diamond; and her message, whether she meant it or not, was real. Also, Steven was honest, when he said he loved them he meant it. And she knew that without a fact.

"Sapphire let's go home," Steven held out his hand. Sapphire was just about to take her hand. When she had a vision.

In a panic she looked, "No, why here, the cloud arena of all places?"

"Sapphire?"

There was no time to get to the warp pad. She grabbed Steven's hand and ran into the up the stairs to hide behind one of the column, "Steven, don't move, don't make a sound." She whispered. Sapphire peeked to look up into the sky. Floating towards the arena, was Blue Diamond's Palanquin.


	2. Chapter 2

The Seam Stretched

The palanquin landed in the crumbling arena. The first to exit was, Blue Diamond's Pearl. She walked to the center and looked around. She didn't see any danger to her Diamond. She turned and saluted.

"My Diamond," her quiet voice floated through the air, "I see no danger here."

With that, Blue Diamond exited her palanquin. She looked around. She remembered this place. This was where she helped with the colonization. A particular memory came back. Where not only one of her Sapphire's had failed, and fused with a Ruby, but then ran and joined the rebels. She pushed that memory to the back of her mind to survey the cloud arena. She sighed.

"This would had been an excellent colony," her deep voice flowed. Normally, she would have gone to Pink's palanquin. It was the closest thing she had to a grave. But she wanted to see the few remaining buildings from Pink's attempt at colonization. She remembered how much Pink asked for a colony. Pink wanted to prove herself, Blue knew that, but a colony was difficult, and Pink was still young. Eventually they finally conceded and gave her a colony. It was supposed to be easy. The humans were primitive, resistance would had been low. But then, Rose Quartz started the rebellion, that led to Pink being shattered.

 _This, Rose Quartz can't hurt you_. Those words haunted Blue for thousands of years. Why didn't she take the threat seriously? Why didn't she listen and let Pink leave? But now a new set of questions had plagued her.

 _Was it Rose that shattered her?_ Ever since the trial, Blue couldn't get that question out of her head. Zircon was right, Rose couldn't have gotten that close to Pink. There were armies that surrounded her. She might had been a quartz soldier, but even she needed time to fight through her entourage. Time Pink would have used to run away. But another Diamond? Blue would never had hurt Pink. Yellow might have gotten into arguments with her, but she wouldn't hurt her either. White was no where near Earth at the time. It couldn't had been them. And their search for Rose was difficult, it was as if she vanished from homeworld.

"My Diamond?" Blue looked down at Pearl, "If I may."

"Yes?"

"My Diamond shouldn't the cluster have emerged by now?" Blue then turned to look down to the planet. Pearl… was right. The cluster should have emerged by now. When she visited the palanquin, when she sent Aquamarine, they were on the deadline. By the time of the trial the Earth should had been destroyed. The cluster should not have taken that long to emerge. Did something go wrong? Was it a failure? But the Peridot said it would emerge… but then again she also called Yellow a clod.

Something rung out. A scrapping noise like someone was running. In a fit of panic, Blue grabbed a piece of broken column and threw it where she thought she heard the noise come from. The column crashed and two figures fell, rolling in front of Blue Diamond. Her eyes widened in shock. It was Rose, in her new strange form.

"Steven." Near Blue was a gem. A Sapphire? She was looking at Rose in concern. And when she raised her hand, Blue's eyes widened further. She only had one Sapphire with a gem in her right palm.

"You," Blue hissed. Sapphire looked up, he bangs covered her eye, but she knew it was in terror. Blue raised her fist, "Traitor!"

Blue brought down her fist, to crush the gem who betrayed her court.

"Sapphire," suddenly, Rose dashed forward and pushed Sapphire out of the way, but there wasn't enough time for her to move. For a brief second, she felt the warmth of her body, before smoke spilled from under her fist. The Sapphire landed on her back, but when she looked up, she was petrified in horror, trying to take in a breath.

Immediately, Blue knew there was something wrong. There was enough strength behind her fist to shatter a Sapphire, let alone a quartz. But she could feel the gem was still whole. And it felt… different. Blue took the gem into her palm. She lifted it up to her face. When she unfurled her fist, there was the cut of a Rose Quartz. Then the gem rolled to the side, on it's side the facets looked different, and it wasn't a flat gem. It wasn't a Rose Quartz. If possible, Blue's eyes widened further, confusion tore through her being as she realized what the gem was.

"Pink…"

"STEVEN!"

The Sapphire's scream was the first thing Blue heard before she felt a cold blast iced the arena over.


	3. Chapter 3

Cold. That was all she felt, standing at the edge of the arena, cold. That was before Sapphire froze it. She stared at the spot where it happened. Blue Diamond came, Steven and Sapphire were discovered. Then she attacked Sapphire, but she hit Steven instead. Then his form dissipated. But when Blue looked at the gem, it wasn't a Rose Quartz, it was a Pink Diamond.

She was sure of it. She only saw Pink Diamond a few times, but she knew what her gem looked like.

Sapphire screamed Steven's name. She charged the Diamond to take back the gem, but she was easily swatted across the arena. Blue seemed to decide she didn't care about the Sapphire, but the pink gem. So she and her Pearl immediately went to her palanquin and flew away.

The scenario played through Lapis' mind over and over.

"Steven," Sapphire cried as she ran to the other side of the coliseum. She collapsed onto her knees and cried. The ice around her grew larger.

Lapis, didn't know what to think. Once again, she came back. The fear of the Diamond's made her flee, but the loneliness brought her back. The barn was still on the moon. When she came back, she saw Blue Diamond's ship. Naturally, the first thing she thought was to run, but then she saw Blue Diamond's palanquin leave. Then for some reason, Lapis didn't fly away, she followed. She kept a safe distance, until she reached the cloud coliseum, where it all went wrong.

Lapis looked at the weeping Sapphire, she looked at the clouds were Blue Diamond disappeared into. Were the Diamond's going to attack. She wanted to run… But Steven…

Lapis grew her wings and landed behind the other blue gem, "Sapphire?"

The smaller gem gasped and looked up surprised. She must had been to upset to use her future vision, "Lapis? I thought…"

"Why does Steven's gem look like that?" Lapis asked. Sapphire wiped the single stream of tears from her face.

"Rose… lied to us," she began, "She didn't shatter… Pink Diamond… She was Pink Diamond… she faked her shattering and presumed a new identity."

Lapis felt shock, she was silent for a moment before she asked again, "Why?"

"I don't know anymore…" Sapphire cried. Lapis looked down, then looked back up.

"Will… Steven come back?"

Sapphire stilled. She trembled, then she finally spoke, "I don't know… We never let Steven fight… until he finally got his shield… His form was never dissipated before."

That was not the answer Lapis wanted.

"But," Sapphire began again, "I keep looking into the future, no one reforms from the gem…" Lapis frowned, "I think that means… Steven is still in there… he just doesn't know how to reform on his own… we never told him how."

Lapis continued to frown. How was that better? No one could talk to a gem when they had retreated into their gemstone. It was impossible… Wait.  
"When I was fused with Jasper, Steven," Lapis recalled, "He kept coming to me, like he was inside our gems."

"Steven told us before that, when he sleeps, he can somehow enter other people's minds. He entered two humans, and a living watermelon, and… you," Sapphire recalled. Lapis looked down and thought.

"Do you think, it can work the other way?" Lapis asked, "If we fell asleep, we could enter his gem? And then we could tell him how to reform?"

"Maybe, but, we won't be able to do if Blue Diamond takes him to homeworld," Sapphire reminded. Lapis frowned, she knew she was right. She also knew that the only way to take back Steven's gem was to fight Blue Diamond. She would be declaring she was an enemy of homeworld. The Diamond's would hunt her down, and… Steven would be gone forever, she'd be alone forever, alive, but alone.

Lapis looked over the edge towards the planet. She came to like this planet. She could do what she wanted, no one really cared. Plus, it was Steven's home. Lapis sighed.

"How can I summon a weapon?"

"What?" Sapphire asked.

"How can I summon a weapon?" Lapis repeated, "It was theorized once that all gems, not just warrior class, could summon weapons. If Pearl can summon a weapon, I should too."

"It… isn't that simple," Sapphire said, "It's different for every gem. Yes, Pearl can summon a spear, but she couldn't when the rebellion started. It was why she fought with swords at first."

Lapis sighed, she walked over to Sapphire and picked her up and started flying.

"What are you doing?"

"I don't need a weapon to keep Blue Diamond from leaving."

Pink… everything was Pink. It was all Steven could see. Where was he? He was alone. He didn't want to be alone. He was waiting for a long time, but nothing happened. He was scared. He started to cry. What if he was going to be alone forever? He didn't want to be alone. He wanted his Dad. He wanted Pearl, Amethyst, and Garnet.

For whatever reason, Steven was an infant. His shirt loosely wiggled around him as he cried. Then a pair of large hands picked him up.

"Its okay," a voice whispered as Steven was cradled, "Its all going to be okay…" Steven began to calm down. He didn't remember where, but he heard this voice before. He looked up to see something pink and fluffy. Maybe it was cotton candy. But he wasn't hungry, he was tired. He closed his eyes and fell asleep in the warm spot he was in. He felt safe as whoever it was that found him held him.


	4. Chapter 4

Pearl warped back into the temple. Still no sign of Sapphire, this was worse than the time with Sardonyx. After walking off the pad, Ruby then warped in with Amethyst.

"Still nothing," Amethyst said. Ruby walked through with slumped shoulders. If this was hard on anyone it was hard on her.

"She has to be around here somewhere," Pearl said.

The door then slammed opened revealing a gasping Greg, "Guys…"

Pearl sighed, "Gregg… look we're…"

"The ocean's gone again!"

"What?" Peridot barreled out of the bathroom and out the door, the other gems weren't far behind. True to what Gregg said. What was once a large ocean was now a desert as far as the eye can see.

"Do you think it's Lapis?" Peridot asked hopefully.

"Maybe, she did it before," Amethyst said.

"By why would she do it now?" Pearl asked.

"Well, whatever it is, we have to check it out," Amethyst said.

"What about Sapphire?" Ruby asked.

"We're worried about her too, but we need to work on this first," Pearl said. Ruby wanted to argue, but she knew Pearl was right.

"Where's Steven?" Gregg asked.

"We don't know, but we don't have time to wait for him," Peridot said, "It might be Lapis."

"Gregg, the last time you were involved with the ocean vanishing, your leg broke. I think you should stay here," Pearl advised.

"Yeah," Gregg agreed, "I'll stay here and wait for Steven instead."

The gems then left the house and started their journey through the ocean floor. They were nervous, this was the first mission they had without Sapphire's future vision. Also they didn't know where Steven was… Oh well, he was safer wherever he was.

Blue Diamond paced around her chambers. Sitting in the center was Pink Diamond's gem. Blue was a whirlwind of emotion. Pink was Rose Quartz? It couldn't be true. But it did make sense.

How Rose got so close to Pink in the first place? She was already there. But that would also mean, Pink started the rebellion. She turned against homeworld for useless beings, for humans… How was Blue supposed to feel? Angry, that she betrayed them? Happy she was alive? Sad… that she actually hated her… them enough to want to fight them? And Yellow and White… what were they going to say?

Blue could probably convince them to let Pink explain first, but… was that Pink? The being that was in the trial… It was like a completely different gem. They're appearance, they're explanation. It was confused and willing to owe up to their actions. Blue knew there was something wrong with the gem that was on trial. But it had Rose's gem, so it had to be Rose… wasn't it? Blue didn't know what to think anymore. She felt like she was going to shatter from all the emotions churning in her gem. This was completely wrong. The laws, roles, and punishments were all created so that nothing unexpected would happen. So that all gems could have a purpose and be safe, but this… A Diamond betraying homeworld… was beyond unexpected.

"My Diamond," Blue nearly jumped at Nephrite's voice, she turned to see the panel, "My Diamond, we're ready to leave, shall we go?"

Blue was silent. Should she? What was she going to tell everyone when she returned home? She was silent for so long, Nephrite had to speak again.

"My Diamond, can you hear me?"

Blue took in a deep breath, "Yes, Nephrite I can… And… Y… Yes, take us back home." Whatever happened, she had Yellow and White, they could figure this out. They were Diamonds after all.

"Yes, My Diamond. Please be seated." Blue went to her seat as did Pearl. The jump would not be pleasant. She heard the engines starting to get louder as the gravity jump started to kick in. But she was jolted forward, almost knocked out of her seat.

"Nephrite, what was that?" Blue demanded.

"We don't know, something has stopped us. Please wait, we're sending a drone to view the exterior."

A second screen then appeared. Showing the outside of the ship. Blue's eyes widened. Extending from the Earth was a giant arm of water. It had wrapped around the wrist of her own ship.

"What is this?" Blue Diamond shouted.

"Um… the planets ocean has reached into space and…"

"I can see that," Blue shouted, "Find out what has caused this and put an end to it."

"My Diamond, should we contact homeworld?"

The question stopped the matriarch, she looked at Pink's gem. Of course she should contact them, it was the best option in her situation, but Pink… She shook her head.

"Yes, contact them, tell them our ship has been attacked and to send assistance, send those exact words," Blue commanded. Pink could wait.

"Yes, my Diamond," Nephrite answered. The pilot began programming in a distress signal, it would be difficult, there wasn't a communication hub this far out. But it should reach homeworld. Nephrite pressed the send button, but the word 'Error' flashed on screen.

"What?" the pilot asked. She tried again several times, but it didn't go through, "What is going on."

A panel sparked after Sapphire yanked out some of its wires. She sighed, "That should keep them from sending any signals for a while. Now to get Steven."


	5. Chapter 5

The communications were down and thanks to Lapis, they couldn't leave. Now came the hard part. Getting Steven's gem away from Blue Diamond. Sapphire didn't need future vision to know that was going to be difficult. Right now, she was really missing Ruby. Together they were coordinated and smart. And, she just wanted to see Ruby. Sapphire shouldn't have gotten into that fight with Ruby, telling her that she didn't understand. Of course, she understood; Sapphire shared her future vision with her when they fused. Sapphire was just so angry and confused that she lashed out at Ruby. She didn't even consider the consequences. Steven got poofed and Ruby might not speak to her again.

Now wasn't the time to worry about that. Steven came first. She opened the servant's door slightly, to look into Blue Diamond's chamber. Blue Diamond sat at her seat, obviously waiting for a report on the damage assessment. Ever present was her Pearl, silently waiting for orders. On the table, sitting on a pillow was what Sapphire was after.

"… Steven." The pink diamond rested on the pillow. It wasn't any easier for Sapphire to see it. The gem of her leader, the one that lied, later becoming the gem of her son. The one that gave her so many smiles, to both her and Ruby. Now he was gone… he wasn't gone, he was just inside the gem… he had to be.

Lapis finally approached, she looked back at her and whispered, "Once the explosion happens, I'll grab the gem while Blue Diamond is distracted." Sapphire managed to set something to explode. It wouldn't be big and wouldn't cause real damage, but it would make the other gems panic and try to protect their Diamond. Homeworld gems were paranoid like that.

The boom gently reverberated through the ship. Blue Diamond stood up, "What was that?"

Now was the time, Sapphire ran in just as the Agate arrived, "My Diamond are you injured?"

Sapphire slowly floated to the top of the table and crawled. To the pillow, finally, she reached out and as gently as she could, picked up the diamond. She cradled it to her chest and gently stroked it, hoping that in some way, Steven could feel it.

"What is happening?" Blue Diamond asked.

"There was an explosion, I came to see if you are alright?" The Agate explained. Blue looked at her, first, the ocean attacked the, then, communications fail, now an explosion. It could only mean… Blue turned to the table, and to her horror, Pink's gem was gone!

"Attention members of the crew," Blue Diamond's voice boomed through the ship, "There are intruders on board, they have taken a pink gem from me. Find them and return the gem to me in one piece."

"What's Blue Diamond doing here?" Pearl asked after she and the other crystal gems hid in a hallway avoiding a few jaspers.

"I don't know," Amethyst said, "How did she know we're here already."

"She couldn't have meant us Amethyst we didn't steal a pink gem," Pearl explained.

"Wait a minute," Ruby said, she felt something, then she started running towards something.

"Ruby wait for us," Amethyst shouted as she, Pearl, and Peridot ran after her. Ruby could sense her, they had fused for thousands of years, she knew her presence anywhere. Then finally the gem she was searching for turned the corner. She saw Ruby and stopped. Then Lapis appeared and stopped as well.

Sapphire looked at Ruby, then tears began to run down her face, "… Ruby." Sapphire did the only thing she could do and run into her arms. When she was there, it all came back. The pain from Rose's lie, Blue Diamond attacking her, Steven getting poofed. It all flowed down her face, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry." Sapphire apologized over and over in a painful chant. Ruby held her and comforted her.

"It's okay, I was upset too…" Ruby told her.

"Steven…" Sapphire chocked.

"Lapis?" Peridot asked when she finally caught up with them.

Lapis looked down, "Hey Peridot."

"Steven's not mad and you know it," Ruby said. Sapphire shook her head. She stepped away from Ruby and started lifting up the gem in her arms.

She turned it to show the pentagon cut, "Steven… Blue Diamond poofed him…"


	6. Chapter 6

Pearl had to cover her mouth to keep herself from screaming when she saw the gem Sapphire was carrying. It was her gem, Steven's gem. Steven was poofed!

"What happened?" Amethyst finally asking what everyone had been thinking. The purple gem herself looked like she was on the verge of tears as she took the gem from Sapphire.

"Blue Diamond," Sapphire chocked out, "She tried to shatter me… but Steven… he pushed me… there wasn't time for him to use his shield… it's my fault…"

"No, no it isn't." Ruby said, it was all she could say. She was greatly upset. Sapphire was almost shattered, so Steven had to protect her, at the cost of his form. Two of Ruby's loved ones were hurt and she didn't know how to make it better.

"Steven?" Amethyst stroked the gem, "Can you hear me? You are in, there right?" He had to come back, he just had to. Amethyst didn't hate Rose and she was confused about her being Pink Diamond, but that wasn't the reason why she wanted Steven back. Steven was more like her than the others. She never saw homeworld, whatever knowledge about gems she knew came from Pearl and the others. When she and the others taught Steven, it was like watching herself learn all over again, but better.

"There they are!"

Lapis looked up, they were found by the Blue Diamond's guard's. Jasper's and Amethyst. She looked to their group. Everyone was upset, she couldn't blame them. But they needed to escape.

Then a thought came to her, but if she did it then…

She looked at the pink gem currently in Amethyst's care.

There was no other way. They couldn't help Steven if they got shattered. _Homeworld here I come!_

Outside. The water hand began to tighten it's grip on the blue wrist of the ship. The ship began to creak and moan. Until finally, the hand was severed from the rest of the arm. The two halves of the ship could no longer stay in orbit as it began to fall to Earth. Then the water retreated to Earth.

Greg waited on the steps of the house. Looking up at the sky. He hoped Steven was okay. He was upset when he learned the truth about his mother. Greg couldn't say he blamed Steven. He loved Rose, and even after everything he learned from Steven, he still loved her.

She was a kind, loving being. She was funny and weird. And she gave him Steven.

Greg was shocked about her actually being Pink Diamond. But Greg couldn't be angry at Rose. Because he remembered a particular conversation with her. That she wanted to tell him everything, but he told her that the past didn't matter, that he loved her now. In a way he told her, she didn't need to tell him she was Pink Diamond.

But then Greg thought of something. Every time they did talk about Pink Diamond. When Greg told her that she was better than Pink, that she was right to stand up to the tyrant. Rose seemed to tense up. Now Greg thought he knew why. It wasn't because she was still haunted by Pink Diamond's death. She thought Greg would hate her if he knew. And she probably believed that till the moment she gave up her physical form.

Greg wish he knew for sure. He wished she did tell him. He would have told her that the past was the past if he knew. Then she wouldn't have ever thought that he could ever hate or fear her.

Greg was pulled out of his thoughts when the sound of the waves returned. He looked to see the ocean had resumed its gentle current. He stood up and smiled. They did it.

Then he noticed something. Gently floating out of the sky was an orb of water. It reached the beach and fell away revealing the gems. Amethyst and Pearl were holding a pink gem, that had an pentagon shaped cut.


	7. Chapter 7

Pearl gently held the pink gem in her hands. She hoped she'd never had to again. This was her gem, his gem.

"Would she had taken this long to regenerate?" Greg asked looking worried.

"No," Pearl shook her head.

"We think the reason, no one has come back yet is because Steven is still in there," Lapis explained.

"We never taught him how to regenerate, I think he's just stuck," Sapphire explained.

Pearl looked at the gem, she was hoping for that, she really was, but, "How are we supposed to teach him now?"

"Remember how Steven seems to enter others minds when he's asleep?" Sapphire asked.

"Yeah," Amethyst answered.

"It's a long shot, but, we're hoping it can go both ways."

"That if we fall asleep, we'll enter his gem?" Pearl asked.

"Awesome," Amethyst snatched the gem out of Pearl's hands, went to the couch and laid down and started to snore.

"Amethyst, you're obviously…" Pearl stopped talking when the gem began to glow, and Amethyst went silent, genuinely asleep.

"Is it working?" Peridot asked.

"If it is, I'm going in," Pearl walked over and placed her hand on the diamond, "Someone needs to teach Steven proper regeneration."

Then everyone walked forward, including Greg, and placed their hands on the gem.

Everyone was engulfed in a pink light.

"Steven," Amethyst shouted. She was standing in a huge, pink, cloud filled area. It reminded her of Rose's room, "Steven where are you?"

Amethyst needed to find Steven. If his problem was regeneration, then it would be easy. She'll explain it to him, then he'll come out of the gem.

But what if she found Rose instead? Amethyst had no idea what she would say to her. The gem that took her in, who hated the kindergarten, was the one who created it… created her. Amethyst decided to try to just let it go. The fact that Rose was a Diamond. The fact she lied to her about many things. Because she wasn't going to unload more drama on Steven.

Because if Rose did a good thing. One really good thing. It was Steven.

Amethyst liked a lot of human things; eating, sleeping, watching T.V. she liked shapeshifting, being silly, but she loved Steven.

In the distance, Amethyst saw something.

"Is that the door to the temple?"


	8. Chapter 8

Pearl walked through the entrance that resembled the temple's door. She didn't understand how she could enter Steven's gem while…

She just didn't understand. She didn't understand a lot of thing about what Steven was supposed to be. At first, she thought he was Rose's prison. And she only took care of him out of obligation to her. Then she started to love him. Not because he was Rose's son, but because he was Steven. All she wanted was to take care of him, but she often questioned if she did it right.

Greg told her before no parent or guardian knows if they were raising a child right. But Pearl always felt like she was worse off, because she was a gem. Gems were created knowing what they were and knowing how to fulfil their purpose. That was part of the reason the rebellion was so hard. Not just the fighting and the lies, because she knew when it was over she'd have to go into an unknown future and create a new path without a diamond to tell her, it was terrifying for a gem.

When it was time to raise Steven, she just didn't know what to do. At the beginning Steven knew absolutely nothing. Someone had to teach him to talk, write, read. He had to eat and drink, and his diet had to be different depending on his age. Trying to keep up with him changing do to the fact he was aging was difficult. But she still loved it, not because she was a Pearl created to serve. Because, she loved the way Steven's face would brighten up when she explained things. Seeing him grow. Seeing him so happy when they came back from missions. Steven loved the gems, loved her. Which made it so hard when it finally came time to tell him about the war. She wished Steven could have stayed a happy, innocent little child forever… And now she might have lost him forever.

"Steven?" Pearl looked like she was in Rose's room. The pink cloud like area that granted you anything. Pearl didn't know what happened to the others. When she touched Steven's gem she was alone.

Suddenly, the clouds grew dark and began to swirl. Pearl tried to use her power to tame them, but they didn't obey. Either because her powers didn't work in the gem or because these were Rose's clouds.

"I know what you are, you're a liar!" Pearl looked through the swirling clouds to see Steven clinging to the floor amongst the intense wind. In the air was Rose. Steven was looking up at his mother in distress and rage, "I thought you never wanted to hurt anyone, but you hurt everyone. How could you just leave Garnet, and Amethyst, and Pearl, and… and Dad? They don't know what to do without you. Maybe they didn't matter to you as much as hiding from the mess you made. And that's why I'm here isn't it?" Those words stung Pearl, "Did you make me just so you didn't have to deal with all your mistakes?" Steven slumped on the ground, "Is that all I'm here for?"

Before Pearl could go forward and talk to Steven, Rose beat her to it, "Steven, you know that isn't true. In the tape I left you, I told you how much I wanted to have you and let you exist. Do you think what I said to you in the tape was a lie?"

"No… I'm sure… I'm sure you meant it."

Rose walked forward and crouched down and hugged Steven. Then it began to rain, "I get it, you didn't want me to deal with your problems. You're apart of me now, I have to deal with what you left behind."

With those words, Rose turned into clouds. Pearl was confused on a lot of things, but she still walked forward, "Steven?"

Steven looked up, "Hi Pearl."

All the things Steven shouted at Rose were still fresh in Pearl's mind. Did she make Steven think he was just a replacement for Rose? Did she make him think he had to fix all her problems alone? Was that why he went to homeworld?

"Steven…"

"You're looking for me, right?"

Pearl blinked at the wording, then realized, "This is just a memory?"

"Yeah, this happened right after the we got dad back from the human zoo," Steven explained.

Pearl crouched down to his level, "Steven, why didn't you tell us we were putting so much pressure on you?"

"You didn't," Steven said, "Mom did."

"Steven…"

"Well," Steven lifted up his shirt to reveal his gem, "You're looking for present me, not past me, right?"

Pearl sighed, it was pointless to talk to this Steven, "Yes."

"Well, I think I'm really deep inside my gem, you'll have to keep going," Steven said.

"I will, I'll find you," Pearl said, then Steven's gem glowed.

Ruby and Sapphire were in the beta kindergarten. Just them.

"Where is everyone else?" Ruby asked.

"I think the gem split us up," Sapphire said.

"I've been fighting since I broke free from the Earth's crust!" Ruby and Sapphire looked and to their horror, saw Jasper getting corrupted… in front of Steven, "Because of what _you_ did to my planet, because of what _you_ did to my colony, because of what _you_ did to my Diamond!"

"Yellow Diamond?" Steven asked.

Jasper made a noise. That sounded like horror and pain, " **My** Diamond, **your** Diamond! **Pink Diamond**!"

Then the corruption took over completely turning Jasper into a monster. In a panicked reflex Peridot shot a large scrap of metal into Jasper's chest, and she was poofed. After Amethyst bubbled her she and Peridot began to walk back, but Steven stayed behind to look at where Jasper was.

"Steven," Ruby and Sapphire approached him. Steven just stared at the spot.

"I didn't help her."

"Steven, you couldn't have," Sapphire tried.

"But I'm a crystal gem, Rose's son!" Steven cried, "I'm supposed to be able to help everyone. It's what I'm supposed to do."

Ruby and Sapphire looked at each other before pulling Steven into a hug.

"You help every day, by being you," Ruby comforted.

"It didn't help Jasper," Steven whimpered. Then he shrugged of the hug and pulled up his shirt, "You're looking for present me, right?"

"Um… Yeah?" Ruby said.

"Well, I'm not here, sorry," then his gem glowed.


	9. Chapter 9

Amethyst was in the Ruby ship. But it was in warp, this was when she and the other gems were lagging behind the ship. She remembered liking it, it was fun, but she wasn't lagging behind again, the ship was still shaky though. She could barely stand.

"Guys," Steven's cry made her look to the front. Steven was pressed against the chair unable to resist the force, "I didn't want this to happened," the half gem despaired, "I didn't mean for dad to be taken by Blue Diamond, I was just tired of not knowing."

"Steven," Amethyst called, but he didn't hear her. She grabbed the ships dashboard and used it to pull herself towards him, "It's okay Steven."

Then things got worse, Steven started to cry, "Dad," the boy cried, "Dad, I want my dad."

Amethyst could handle a lot of things, but Steven crying wasn't one of them. She wished she could have told him, but out of all the Crystal Gems she knew about homeworld the least. She couldn't have told him about the Diamonds, or the gem wars, or even that his mom was Pink Diamond. But it didn't make her feel better seeing Steven cry. Times like these were when she thought… Steven was better off if they didn't went to visit that winter day.

Finally, Steven managed to push the button and stop the ship.

"Steven," Steven looked up.

"Amethyst."

"Are you okay?"

"I'll be fine, this is just past me," Steven lifted up shirt, "You're looking for present me."

Amethyst hugged him, "You're not the only one who doesn't know stuff."

Steven hugged her back. Then she stood up and his gem began to glow

Lapis and Peridot walked through Beach City.

"Do you think he's here?" Lapis asked.

"Don't know," Peridot said. The green gem looked down, "So… you came back?"

Lapis looked down, "Yeah… Sorry."

"Well," Peridot said, "I know pumpkin missed you."

Lapis gave a small smile.

"School's out," Lapis and Peridot looked to see Steven running with a mirror in his hand.

"I know this," Lapis whispered.

Steven wasn't paying attention when he ran into the street.

"Steven," Peridot was about to run after him when Lapis stopped him.

"Watch where you're going you little-Steven," The mirror spoke in Lars's voice. That made Steven realize he was about to be hit by a car.

Peridot then realized something, "That's you?"

"Yeah," Lapis answered.

Peridot watched Steven talk to the mirror, "Why did you help him that day?"

Lapis stared at the scene, "Well, I don't really know. He saw my cracked gem and didn't call me broken. He took me everywhere with him that day. And when he was in trouble, I just… had the urge to help him… to speak for the first time in millennia. I'm glad I did."

Peridot smiled, "Me too."

"Steven," Greg called as he walked towards the temple. He had no idea what he was looking for, he just knew he needed to help his son, "Steven!"

Greg approached the temple and went to the front door, before he could open the door, he heard something, someone… was singing.

 _If I could begin to be_

 _Half of what you think of me_

 _I could do about anything._

Greg looked through the screen door. His eyes widened, then teared up. He saw something he only saw in his dreams. Rose was sitting on the couch, softly singing as she cradled their baby Steven, in her arms.


	10. Chapter 10

"Those monsters, used to be gems just like us," Amethyst said. No one saw them, so Lapis and Peridot flew next to the van that was currently carrying Steven. Lapis remembering the fight that came next decided to fly to safety.

"Wow, you really did steal the whole ocean," Peridot chirped.

Lapis didn't answer instead she landed on a mound of coral to watch. She never liked remembering this, but now seeing it from Steven's point of view, she felt worse.

"I told you, you're powerful," Peridot said, Lapis still didn't answer.

"Lapis?"

"He honestly didn't know," Lapis let out.

"He didn't know what?"

"Steven didn't know those monsters used to be gems," Lapis confessed, "Then I came around and made him see that."

"Isn't that a good thing?"

"No it isn't," Lapis suddenly shouted, "He was so much happier before I came. I was so selfish, I didn't even try to see things his way, I didn't try to see Earth as anything but as a failed colony. I wasn't a friend I was someone who was hurting his home!"

Peridot looked at her worried, "Lapis, he was going to find out eventually. I mean, I was the one who tried to fix the homeworld warp then activate the cluster. The geo weapon that was supposed to destroy this planet. You were right, he did seem happier before this, but if living on Earth has taught me anything; it's nothing stays the same, even for gems. Sure, Steven isn't as blissfully ignorant as he was before, but, he's still happy."

Lapis gave a tired smile. She looked around at the planet, "You know, I've been wondering, why did we colonize planets like these?"

"To make more of us."

"But why a whole planet? There were living, sentient beings on a lot of the colonized worlds. Worlds that have so many nice things like, plants and animals. Places that make people happy. We could have just used a small canyon to make a few gems at a time. Why do they have to make so many of us so fast?"

"Honestly, I don't know anymore," Peridot said, "I was so proud of the kindergarten's I made, now… All I can remember is, killing the life around them. When I tried to convince Yellow Diamond, she didn't even try to consider that organic life was a good thing."

"Why did they have to place a purpose on us?" Lapis then asked, "Why did they have to be the ones to decide what we should do with our lives?" Lapis looked at the tower of water, "When this happened, all I wanted, was to go back and serve my Diamond. Now, I can't stand the thought of going back. Not just because I'm afraid of punishment. They won't let me grow crops or make meepmorps. They won't let me play music, or even talk to gems other than Lapis Lazuli's. I can't stand that thought."

"Neither can I," Peridot admitted.

"And now… Steven is… A diamond?"

"Apparently," Peridot said, "I still can't believe a Diamond rebelled. I wasn't around when Pink Diamond was. Why didn't she stop the colonization herself, she was a Diamond?"

Lapis shook her head, "She was, different, she did things like, throw balls. I heard she kept begging for a colony, but the other Diamonds wouldn't let her. Come to think of it, it seemed, the Diamonds saw her as inferior."

"But she was a Diamond."

"I know," Lapis said. The tower started to fall. Lapis grabbed Peridot and began to fly, "Come on, we need to find Steven."

Greg stared through the screen door. Rose was holding her infant son. Greg had dreamt about this so many times. He missed Rose, but never regretted to decide to have Steven. He saw so much of her in him, maybe the best parts. Greg was almost afraid to go in, but he still needed to save his son.

He put his hand on the handle. Swallowed a huge chunk of air, then finally turned the handle.

Rose looked up. When she saw who entered, she looked surprised, "Greg?"

Greg swallowed, "Rose, is that… really you?"

She smiled, tears formed in her eyes as she nodded. Greg smiled as tears began to form in his eyes. He walked over and hugged Rose and baby Steven, his family.

"But, how did you get in here?"

"Steven's half human, remember?" Greg asked, "He can connect with humans as well as gems.

"Oh, right."

Greg sat down next to her. He knew he needed to say something, "Rose, I know…"

"You know what?" Rose asked.

He looked at her gem, gathered all his courage, and answered, "I know you're really a Diamond."

Rose stiffened. She looked terrified. She opened her mouth, just to close it. Like she didn't know what to say. Greg could see, she was afraid, so, "Gregory DeMayo."

"What?" Rose looked confused.

"My name used to be Gregory DeMayo. When I decided that music was my dream, I changed it to Greg Universe. It sounded cooler."

Rose looked at him dumbstruck, before bursting into giggling. They both laughed, it was the first laugh they shared, since Steven was born. Finally, Rose calmed down, "Greg, I'm sorry. I didn't want… I didn't mean…"

"Hey, we all make mistakes," Greg said.

Rose smiled, and then began at the beginning, "The other Diamonds didn't respect me. I was the only one who didn't have a colony. I, well, I begged and whined for one. I can't believe I was such a brat. They finally gave me one, I thought I was the luckiest gem in existence. At first I thought I was creating life from nothing. Then I saw the life growing wild here and I realized, I wasn't creating life from nothing, I was taking life, and leaving nothing behind…"

The two talked, Rose talked about her past, Greg explained what had happened in the past two years, with Lapis, the cluster and the Diamonds. Which upset Rose greatly.

"Greg, I'm so sorry, I didn't think they'd ever come back, I'd…"

"It's okay," Greg assured, "Garnet couldn't even predict it."

"Still…"

"Um…" Greg began, "If it's alright with you, can I… see your real form?"

Rose looked nervous but nodded and handed Steven back to him.

"Do we need to go outside?" Greg asked, remembering how big Blue was.

"No, I'm small enough to fit in the house," Rose explained as the two went to the center of the house where there was more room.

Rose began to glow, she got taller, slimmer, when the light died down, she was Pink Diamond. Greg could only stare. Pink got on her knees, she was still small enough to fit inside the house, but she still needed to crouch down. She noticed Greg was staring and got a little self-conscious. She fidgeted as she played with her tutu, "So…"

"Wow…" Greg said, "You're so… cute… Um don't get me wrong, I love any shape you take, you're just so… wow…"

Pink giggled. She reached out her larger hand. Greg placed his hand in it and she held it.

"Rose, why didn't you lead the rebellion like this?" He gestured towards her Diamond form. She frowned.

"If a Diamond rebelled against other Diamonds, then it would had been a galactic war. Besides I wanted gems to fight because they wanted to, not because a Diamond told them too. As Pink Diamond, gems would shatter themselves, because I wanted to," she shapeshifted back into Rose, "As Rose, I could inspire and lead in a way that I never could as a Diamond. And the gems, really did believe in our cause, not me."

"I wouldn't be so sure," Greg said, "When Garnet found out, she unfused."

"What?"

"Sapphire was really upset," Greg explained.

Rose looked down in shame, "I didn't want to hurt anyone."

"I know you didn't, Rose, and even if she's mad, I'm sure she still believes in you."

They both smiled. Steven began to wriggle.

"Rose, is Steven supposed to look like this?"

"I think he just fell to deep into our gem," Rose explained, "The deeper we go, the further into our past we go. He should be fine when you take him up further."

Greg sighed in relief.

"Can we, stay here for a little longer?" Rose asked, "I can catch glimpses of Steven's memories when he sleeps. But I've still been lonely."

"Sure," Greg smiled who knew if they'd ever have that chance again. The three of them together. The two went back to the couch and sat down. Holding each other's hand as well as their son.

 **This is what happens when so many revelations happen in the show. So many things that we don't expect happen and we are forced to compromise.**

 **I have social media accounts now. I never had one before, NEVER.**

 **On Tumbler and Twitter, I even used my pen name. TalkingSalad for Twitter and TalkingSalad Books on Tumbler. I also have Facebook, but it's under my real name and I'm not comfortable using it on Fanfiction. Not that it matters, I announced my secret identity on both accounts, so if any of you wish to see the writer behind the salad, go ahead. Check me out or not. It's your call.**


	11. Chapter 11

**Hiatus**

 **My beloved followers and readers. Your favorite Salad is having a hard time at home. I have issues to resolve and I won't be able to update any of my stories for a good long while.**

 **Don't worry this isn't the last you'll hear from me. You'll hear from me again soon, just not from fanfiction.**

 **I will return to my fanfiction another day, but until then.**

 **Live long and prosper.**


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